Google Announces Fake Call Detection and Multiple Other Android, Photos, Books, and Search Updates

Google announced on Tuesday that Android is adding fake call detection to Phone by Google on Android 12+ devices. The feature begins rolling out globally this month and starts with Pixel devices. The system runs by default and works automatically in the background.

When a contact using Phone by Google places a call, the caller’s device sends a silent confirmation signal through Rich Communication Services. If the signal is absent, the receiving device contacts the real phone to confirm whether a call is in progress. If the real device reports that no call is being made, the user sees a screen warning to hang up immediately.

Google stated that the feature addresses a rise in scams that spoof trusted numbers and use AI deepfake audio to impersonate family members or authority figures. The same announcement covered three other Android updates. Google Photos will introduce a wardrobe feature next week that catalogs clothing from a user’s photo library and converts the items into virtual snapshots for mixing and matching.

India, and Brazil who run Android 10 or newer. Google Play Books is adding a “Catch me up” tool that supplies a recap when a reader returns to a title and lets users highlight passages to ask questions. The feature begins rolling out today for select English-language books.

Circle to Search can now identify every item in an outfit at once rather than one piece at a time. The expanded capability is live on all Android 14+ devices that already support the tool.